Easy Healthy Recipes For Busy Home Cooks

Farro Salad – Farro, Pomegranate, Belgium Endive Salad

This Farro Salad has a lot going on. Which, is how it should be, in every salad. A great salad has all of the flavour elements, sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami. (Umami is best described as a savory, meaty taste. Food examples of umami are mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, or Parmesan cheese). And this farro salad is all that. Sweet grapes, tart pomegranate, bitter endive and radicchio, salty capers, and a little splash of tamari for umami, all add up to a flavour packed, hearty, and healthy salad. And really, a meal in itself, if you choose.

Farro Salad

About Farro

Add to all this delightful flavour, the textures of chewy, nutty farro, crisp grapes and crunchy radicchio. This farro salad is one of my favourite fall salads, especially since it is incredibly nutritious. This ancient grain is higher in protein than rice, and it's a good source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, and zinc. Farro is a delicious way to get your whole grains in a salad. I have been really loving cooking with farro for its versatilty and nutrition. If you are a fan of farro, you might also like these Farro Stuffed Peppers. Or try Farro Risotto with Winter Squash. And you can learn more about this nutritional powerhouse at The Spruce What is Farro?

About Belgium Endive

Belgium endives are a favourite veggie of mine, and one that I don't see often in recipes. They have a slightly bitter taste, that mellows beautifully when roasted, and are delicious when combined with this pomegranate and balsamic dressing. If you aren't familiar with Endive, here's more info on Genius Kitchen: Endive

About Pomegranate

And pomegranates. Just when this salad can't get any healthier, or more delicious, there's pomegranates. Pomegranates, besides being sweet, tart, pretty, and fun to eat, are extremely nutritious. These fruits pack a ton of fibre, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and potassium. And, it's pomegranate season. Just when we can use a pop of festive colour on our tables, pomegranates make their appearance, and they are at their peak of sweetness now. I love the tart sweetness of the juice and the jewel like colour of pomegranate arils. They are wonderful in salads and so many other recipes, like this Turkey & Pomegranate Salad with Bacon (think of those turkey leftovers).

Farro intrigues me. I eat tons of grains but haven’t played with Farro yet and I see it every time I visit the Italian Store (which is often). This recipe makes me want to buy it and try it now! Looks delish!

SO much to love here. First off, the pictures are spectacular – so vibrant and rich, yet seasonal. I really think you’ve done a lot to highlight the character of farro while simultaneously avoiding an overly dry/earthy wheat-y salad. But I think I might love the endive most of all – anyone who cooks with and values bitter greens is aces in my books. Awesome recipe, awesome job.